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RQ #1: Are there significant differences in professional experiences among Malana student affairs administrators by race\ethnicity?

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RQ #1: Are there significant differences in professional experiences among Malana student affairs administrators by race\ethnicity?

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RQ #2: What factors do MALANA student affairs administrators perceive to influence their decision to pursue a career in the field of higher education?

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RQ #2: What factors do MALANA student affairs administrators perceive to influence their decision to pursue a career in the field of higher education?

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A web-based questionnaire was administered via Qualtrics.

52 closed-ended questions

Questions Types include multiple-choice, check all that apply, and Likert-type scale

43 Survey Respondents (3 were removed from the statistical analysis)

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RQ #3: What factors do MALANA student affairs administrators perceive to influence their decision to continue working in higher education?

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RQ #3: What factors do MALANA student affairs administrators perceive to influence their decision to continue working in higher education?

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Four Major Themes

Theme 1: Understanding the higher education mental models.

Theme 2: Grappling with the existing leadership structural.

Theme 3: Navigating relationship patterns and growth trends.

Theme 4: Identifying individual blind spots

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Result One: Today’s version of the student affairs profession places heavy emphasis on advanced degrees.

Result Two: MALANA Student Affairs administrators are not in a position to create real impact.

Result Three: Student Affairs lacks a consistent talent management framework.

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RQ4: How do MALANA student affairs administrators describe their experiences in advancing to upper- level Student affairs positions? 

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RQ4: How do MALANA student affairs administrators describe their experiences in advancing to upper- level Student affairs positions? 

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Conducted eight in-depth one-on-one interviews with MALANA student affairs administrators who completed a interview information form. Participants were selected on a first come, first served basis with maximal variation sampling in mind.

Interview timeframe varied between 30-90 minutes

Recordings were transcribed verbatim

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The college student population is projected to diversify significantly within the next five years, and by the year 2030, the percentage of MALANA students will surpass the percentage of White students. As the college student population continues to become more diverse, there is a need to have MALANA administrators who can bring a cultural perspective to institutional policies, procedures, and personnel. Prior research on MALANA students shows the presence of MALANA administrators positively affects student success at the collegiate level because the administrators provide an extra level of support, guidance, and understanding of how to navigate the college experience as a person of color. Unfortunately, the number of MALANA student affairs administrators in upper-level positions is not enough to keep up with the projected diverse population.

This convergent mixed-methods study examines and explores factors that contribute to the retention and advancement of MALANA student affairs administrations.

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Academic Affairs Administrators

Higher education professional staff members that have or currently teach in a classroom setting. This area includes faculty, provosts, department chairs, and assistant professors (Glover, 2012).

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

Schools that were established to provide Blacks access to obtaining higher education degrees, without the hassle of discrimination and oppression (Dawkins, 2012; Hurtado, Milem, Clayton-Pendersen, & Allen, 1998). HBCU is not listed as a Carnegie classification despite a long-standing history as reputable higher education institutions.

MALANA

An acronym used to encompass Multi-racial, African, Latin, Asian, and Native Americans. MALANA refers to underrepresented populations but does not include international students. This term is commonly used at higher education institutions like Illinois Wesleyan University and Juniata College (Illinois Wesleyan University, 2016; Juniata College, 2018).

Predominately White Institutions (PWI)

The term PWI is used widely by individuals (faculty, staff, and students) in higher education to describe colleges and universities that have roughly a 30 percent or less MALANA (Multi-racial, African, Latinx, Asian, and Native American) student populations (Dawkins, 2012; Gardner, Barrett, & Pearson, 2014; Jackson & Flowers, 2003).

Student Affairs Administrators (SAA):

Higher education professional staff members that work closely with students outside of the classroom setting. This division includes, but is not limited to, functional areas like residential life, enrollment, multicultural affairs, athletics, and dean of students. Other versions of this term that are used interchangeably include student affairs personnel and student affairs professionals (SAP) (ACPA Foundation, 2019; NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, 2019).

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The problem in this study was a disparity of recruitment and retention of racially diverse student affairs administrators to represent an increasingly diverse student population in higher education, which leads to students not having mentors from a range of racial backgrounds.

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The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study was to examine and explore retention and advancement strategies that support increasing the MALANA student affairs administrators’ ratio to better serve an increasingly diverse student population.

Colleges and universities have been ineffective in addressing the disproportional ratio of MALANA students to student affairs administrators.

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◦Are there significant differences in professional experiences among MALANA student affairs administrators by race\ethnicity?

◦What factors do MALANA student affairs administrators perceive to influence their decision to pursue a career in the field of higher education?

◦What factors do MALANA student affairs administrators perceive to influence their decision to continue working in higher education?

◦How do MALANA student affairs administrators describe their experiences in advancing to upper-level Student Affairs positions?

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https://youtu.be/SDwb47EGgO0

The survey questions were divided into five categories:

Work Environment

Supervision & Work Relationships

Job Fulfillment

Development

Overall/General

Survey questions were created based on the theoretical works of Maslow (1970) motivational theory, Kahn (1990) personal engagement theory, and Herzberg (1959, 2011) two-factor theory of job satisfaction.

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A  Corporate Approach to Talent Management

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A  Corporate Approach to Talent Management